


Hole in the Ground

by hellolucifer



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Afterlife, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Anxiety, Depression, Fluff, It's not for the whole time though, Love, M/M, Most of it is rehabilitation, PTSD, Smut, Suicide, more tags to be added later
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-18
Updated: 2018-09-26
Packaged: 2019-07-13 23:05:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16027868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hellolucifer/pseuds/hellolucifer
Summary: Peter Parker kills himself.Tony Stark hires known mercenary "DeadPool" to bring Peter's ass back to life by bribing death.So what if Wade and Peter fall in love along the way?





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Ok so I deleted the second chapter and combined it with the first. You might want to reread this as I changed a few details. Also, I edited it a bunch because there were a lot of grammar mistakes and I just wasn't happy with it in general. Second chapter will be up shortly so stay tuned!  
> Important information: this is heavily based off of the 2016 Comic Spider-Man/Deadpool "Isn't It Bromantic?" and the MCU. In this timeline Infinity war hasn't happened yet but Thanos is a thing. Also, I warped Deadpools origin story a bit, but he's still the same Merc with a mouth that you know and love! Oh and Vanessa isn't a thing, whoops. That's all you need to know for now. Tootles!

According to a WHO study, one in four people will be affected by a mental illness or neurological disorder at some point in their life. Peter Benjamin Parker isn’t very surprised that he’s the minority in this statistic. There have been many events in his life that has lead to him developing PTSD, anxiety, and depression. The PTSD keeps him awake at night, same with the anxiety, and the depression drains him immeasurably. 

Peter yawns loudly next to his open locker; it’s the end of the school day and to say he’s relieved is an understatement. Someone jostles his shoulder and he turns, alarmed by the sudden movement. Peter’s greeted to a familiar face. MJ’s brown eyes catch his and he relaxes slightly. He was happy to see her after such a long day.  

“Pete? We heading out? We gotta get going now if we wanna make it to the train on time if we wanna get to yours anytime soon.” She looks at him expectantly. Ned, who was hiding behind MJ the whole time peaks his head out. A goofy grin spreads across his face. 

_ Oh. I forgot.  _ Peter rubs the back of his neck and looks down to avoid their awaiting eyes. He winces in apology. “I’m sorry, guys,” he says still avoiding their looks. “I promised May I’d help her this evening with… work.” He doesn’t want to tell them the truth, that he’s just too drained to hang out with them today. He doesn’t want them to feel bad, or worse, obligated to spend time with him and cheer him up. He looks up and finds them not mad or angry at the sudden change of plans, but disappointed. 

Ned steps out from behind MJ. “Hey, it’s fine Peter. We’ll come over another day.” Ned gives a half smile but Peter can feel the pity coming off of him in waves. His jaw clenches unconsciously, teeth grinding as he thinks back to how excited Ned was when he first invited them over.  He mumbles a “Sorry”, unsure if either of them heard it. 

There’s a moment of awkward silence before he says “I should get going. I can’t let May down, ya’know?” He looks at them with a half-hearted smile on his face and it’s clear to him they don’t believe the poorly constructed lie. He closes his locker and picks up his bag. “Well, see you guys later.” He heads off down the hall in the direction of the exit without looking back. Peter knows they’re looking at him; he can feel their saddened stares on the back of his neck. He thinks of everything they’ve done for him, how much he owes them. He’s amazed by how he stumbled upon such great friends. He’s more amazed as to why they’re friends with  _ him.  _

He doesn’t want them to worry about him so right before he opens the door he turns around and waves at them, a fake grin spreading his cheeks. They wave back with vigor. He gets one good last look of them before turning back and exiting into the bright outdoors. For a winter day it’s very sunny. Although the temperature is chilly the sunny rays manage to keep him warm. 

He walks back to his and May’s apartment, hands stuffed in his coat pockets. Peter’s mind is racing with the thoughts of his friends. He should tell them the truth, but he just doesn’t know how. How does he tell them that he’s just so tired all the time? How does he tell them he thinks he doesn’t  _ deserve _ to hang out with them. And how in the world does he tell them he doesn’t have the energy to be social. Would they even understand? Before he knows it, he reaches his apartment. 

Key in lock, he turns the handle and pushes open the jammed door roughly. The hinges creak in complaint but hold steady. When Peter had first gotten his powers he accidentally knocked the door right off its hinges. Thankfully, Peter was able to get it back on before May came home. 

Peter’s body shakes as the cold apartment air hits his skin. Without the sun the cold was much more evident. He takes a deep breath of the familiar scent (lilac, wood, and old books with a hint of something spicy) and he closes the door behind him. He could sense he was alone in the apartment today which was far from unusual. 

May has two jobs. She works as a part time maid and a full time caretaker at a nursing home. It was unfair that she has to work so hard to afford the bare minimums but she never complains. She likes working and she likes her jobs, even when her back aches and she’s only had two hours of sleep the night before; she stays strong for Peter. Peter realizes how unfair that is and how unfair he’s being to May. It’s not like he has a job. Also, if he weren’t around May wouldn’t have a need for two jobs. She wouldn’t be in pain all the time. His heart sinks and it feels like something lodges in his throat as he thinks this. Peter bites his lip and walks solemnly to his room. 

His room almost became his haven, but now he realizes it’s the worst place in the world. When the curtains are drawn tightly closed and the lights are off his room becomes a breeding ground for dangerous thoughts and feelings. There is nothing to distract him in here from everything. He realizes the only thing that could stop  _ those  _ kind of thoughts is if he were outside. But something always draws him to his room. Something dark, greedy, and malicious inside of him tells him to just stay inside. 

He realizes he’s not ok. He  _ knows _ he’s being ridiculous sometimes. But he can’t help it. He wishes he could be normal but he doesn’t know how. When Uncle Ben died he was taken to see a therapist. This was before he met Stark, when he really was just “Friendly neighborhood Spider-Man”; before May found out his secret and before the whole Vulture debacle. The therapist, Dr. Lloyd, diagnosed him with his fruit salad of mental illnesses and told him he should see her again. He was hesitant at first but then later told May he was fine and he could get over it himself. He never told her the real reason he refused to go again was because of the price. 

The darkness of the room seeped into his thoughts and it was moments like these when feelings of suicide would slip into his mind. This wasn’t the first time Peter had thought of suicide. The first time he was repulsed by the idea of it but now he accepted it as a fact of life. He always told himself if a villian never got to him first he would surely die from suicide. A tingly feeling coursed through his body that made him shiver in excitement. He’d later identify this feeling as euphora. 

It’ a comfort to Peter knowing how he’ll die and a thrill deciding  _ when  _ he’ll die.

A vicious and dark voice that wasn’t his own snarled in his thoughts.  _ Get it over with,  _ it thought.  _ It would be so easy. Do it now.  _ It was this that sent him to a forty story building in central Manhattan. 

His mind was calm - even his spidey sense was silent - as he peered down the side of the building. Forty stories might seem excessive, but he had to account for his healing ability. It felt like an out-of-body experience as the wind pulled at his jacket toward the edge of the building. He barely felt the cold as a warm buzz ran through his body. He felt as though he were slightly drunk.  

For a minute he was serene. This was where he was meant to be. Here, on this building, about to jump. Yes, this was where he was always going to end up, no matter what.

A genuine smile graces his face as he steps of the ledge. 

Peter has fallen of building many time before, but they were always while he was in the suit. Right now however he was not Spider-Man, swinging from building to building in search of trouble. No, he was Peter Benjamin Parker falling roughly 400 feet to his death. A panic shot through his body and suddenly he could feel the wind whipping through his hair and grabbing at his clothes. He could see the ground approaching fast. He felt dread as he grabs at his wrists and remembers he had not put on his web shooters for this very reason. He doesn’t want to die. Not like this. But it’s too late, he made his choice.

_ “I’m sorry May” _ is his last thought before his body strikes the ground. 

Because of the always busy streets of Manhattan the police were called right away. And because of Peter’s frequent trips to the hospital, it wasn’t hard to identify the body as Peter Parker. But it was an hour later that May Parker came rushing into the morgue, sobbing as the white sheet was pulled back from the broken body. 

-//-

The look on May Parker’s face as she walks back into the waiting room tells Tony Stark everything he needs to know. Peter is dead and he’s not coming back. Immediately, all the life drains from Stark’s already sober face. He can taste the remorse in the air as he sits - or really collapses - into a stiff waiting room seat. His head folds itself into his arms as he chokes on a sob. Tears fall rapidly down his cheeks and onto his knees as he sinks into the darkness that is his thoughts. 

_ This can’t be real, _ Tony thinks.  _ Peter  _ can’t _ be dead _ . He looks up at May with red eyes and tear stained cheeks. Pepper cradles her with her arms as May sobs loudly. Pepper looks distraught as well. Her eyes and nose are running, but she held it together enough to comfort May, who’s falling apart at the seams. 

May has always been strong. Peter’s told him countless times May saved his but or helped him after a rough battle. He told Stark about how she once threw her shoe at a man because he managed to pin Spider-Man down. She knocked him out cold. But… now? Now May has nothing to stay strong for. She has nothing.  _ And it’s my fault. _

They all slowly make their way back to the tower, May included. She’s invited to stay for awhile while she mourns. While the others went ahead to the tower, Tony stayed behind to collect Peter’s body. When Peter was alive he told Tony that if he died young he wanted him to study his body in the hopes of improving knowledge on Supers. He also theorized that his regenerative power could be replicated and used as a steroid to help sickly people. Also, Stark didn’t want Peter’s body to fall into the wrong hands. Who knows what someone could do with Spider-Man’s DNA. 

When he gets to the tower, Tony instructs an employee to store Peter’s body in a makeshift cryotube to preserve him. 

Everyone seems to have congerated on the top floor. May, Pepper, Natasha, and Steve sit spread out in the living room. They’re all crying, even Natasha. Tony’s never seen Nat cry before, but he’s not surprised she is now. Pete and Nat were very close. She would call him her “spiderling” and she loved to train him. Steve stands behind her chair with a grip tight on the chair itself. He looks more angry than upset.  _ Classic Steve.  _

Tony walks to the other end of the room to the bar. He grabs himself a glass of whiskey and two bottles of water for May and Nat; they’ll both dehydrate themselves at the rate they’re going at. He places both bottles on the coffee table in the middle of the circle of couches. Everyone glances at the action but he looks at May and Nat and tells them to drink. They do. 

“Friday,” Tony says. It breaks the silence. “Prepare a room for May. She’ll be staying indefinitely.” May looks at him in confusion.

“Of course, Mr. Stark,” Friday says. May looks lost for a second and takes a breath to refute the offer but Mr. Stark shushes her before she gets in a word.

“I don’t want to hear it, May. You just had a great loss. I’m not going to let you go back to your apartment on your own. It would be devastating.” He sighs and says under his breath “I can’t do that to you.” She still looks against the idea until her face crumples in resignation. A sigh passes her lips and she mutters a silent thank you to Tony.

She knows how awful it would be to go home and see everything again, as if nothing changed. As if her whole world didn’t just die. She remembers the feeling of going home after Ben died and seeing their shared bed, still unmade from that morning. She had to sleep with Peter for a week after that, of course under the guise that she was only helping Peter, but she needed it as much as he did. Going home alone for the first time since she moved out of her parents house and into her own apartment would break her. She can’t handle being alone right now and she’s grateful Tony recognizes that. 

Tony bites his lip. “Friday, send word to the rest of the team of the news. Tell them to get here soon for the funeral.” His voice cracks at that last word. 

“Right away, Mr. Stark.”

-//-

Two days later everyone makes it back to the tower. It was the entire team. Hell, even the guardians made an appearance. Everyone says their condolences to May. She’s constantly surrounded by people, gods, supers, and mutants alike. She’s also guarded 24/7 to ensure she doesn’t do anything drastic, but Tony doesn’t think she will. As well as all the people, Tony had bought therapy dogs to help console everyone through their grief. Honestly, Stark is doing everything in his power to keep everyone happy. Everyone but himself that is. 

Stark is actually going crazy. The past two days have been hectic; planning and speaking and panning and speaking. He hasn’t slept in days, let alone had any time to himself. He’s spent the last few days hunched over a metal table filled with piles of plans and pictures of Peter. He needs to figure out how they’re going to go forward after Peter’s death. 

Peter wasn’t open to the public about his identity, and his death doesn’t change that. But people will begin to notice Spider-Man’s disappearance and though they may not draw the connection to Peter they will still demand answers. So the question is: do they “out” Peter? Or do they keep his secret safe and create an alternative story to Spidey’s disappearance? Tony feels it would be best to let May decide. After all, if it’s revealed that Peter is Spider-Man she’ll be the one who gets asked all the questions. 

Then Tony needs to figure out how they should go about Pete’s funeral. Every major Super and Mutant has been invited to the tower to mourn. Most of them knew Pete well and some of them never knew him behind the mask. But they all loved him dearly. Tony wasn’t shocked to find that everyone he invited showed up the next day to pay their respects to May… and then stayed. 

Tony realizes that it would be suspicious if every hero in the city went to Peter Parker’s funeral so he decides to have two: one for the people who knew him as a hero and another for those who knew him as regular Peter Parker. The one for the heroes is planned to be tomorrow. Many of the heroes asked if they incorporate pieces of tradition into the ceremony, which Tony had accepted to aside from the requests to burn the body. He is adamant on keeping it preserved. 

The day is going to be packed full of events that at a glance may have seemed like they were throwing a party. Tony had expressed his ditest of this to Thor, but the god simply slapped him on the back and said “It’s a celebration of Peter’s life! He’s in Valhalla now.” Tony grumbled before going back to work. There he is now, hunched over the table lost in thought.

There aren’t enough words in the English language to express how much Tony misses Peter. He wishes there is an afterlife so he can send somebody to go into it and drag Peter’s ass back. He wishes he could believe in “Valhalla” or the “Soul Realm” but he can’t. 

He thinks back to an old Greek myth of a man who went into the underworld to rescue the love of his life, and if rumor were true, he could do the same. 

Tony rushes up quickly, scattering everything on his desk. His plans and pictures of Peter fall to the ground in a whirl. Tonys heard of a man- a Mutant- who can’t die, who claims of going to Hell every time he dies. And maybe this Mutant is just crazy, but he has to try. He has to try for Peter. 

It’s only ten minutes later that Tony Stark finds himself fully suited and in front of an old wooden door. Bullet holes cover by “My Little Pony” Band-Aids litter the door and surrounding walls. He begins to regret his decision of coming here, but he steals himself last minute and kicks in the door sending wooden fragments flying into the apartment. The apartment’s not much. A couch sits in the center of the living room facing a TV. Take-out boxes from a random assortment of places cover the floor and coffee table. However, what catches his attention is the man bolting up next the couch with a gun raised and steadily pointing at Iron Man’s face. He looks confused but doesn’t drop the gun. Behind the barrel Stark sees the infamously rumored scars that cover his whole body. He looks like the kind of person who’s been to Hell and back a few times. The man goes to speak but Tony interrupts him.  

“Wade Wilson, I need you to do me a favor,” he says seriously. Wade still looks confused before his eyes light up and a mischievous smile dances across his scarred face. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a kudos if you'd like to read more and a comment as to what you think Hell will be like! Because that's where Peter's going!!!!


	2. A Close Encounter with Death

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took a while, but editing is a bitch. Writing the rough draft isn't so hard. I kinda just let my mind wander. But GOD... trying to unscramble that mess? Yikes. Hope you enjoy this chapter! Wade meets Peter!

Wade Wilson did not know what to expect when Iron Booty rammed in his door. Immediately, Wade thought the Super might have come here to kill him, but that would make little sense. Wade is still new to this whole “superhero” bull shit, and sure he killed people, but they were never important enough to get on Tony Stark’s “no-likey” list. He might of been a merc but he still was no Winter Soldier if that means anything. 

So when Tony Stank said he needed Wade? Fuck, he almost squealed like a pig. Wade drops his gun to the floor in a clatter. The hero looks down at the gun before walking towards it and kicking it farther away from Wade where he can’t reach it. He wasn’t aware Wade kept three guns on him at all times, plus other forms of arsenal. “So, what does big, strong Iron Daddy need from me?” He asks as he sits back down on the couch. 

“I need you to shut the fuck up, first of all.” Wade can tell the man is already furious with him. He doesn’t mind. 

“Oh, someone’s tense. Look at us, already bickering like a married couple. What do you want sweetums?” He smiles flirtatiously. 

The man groans and his headplate pops up, showing the irritable man inside. With a straight face he looks Wade in the eyes and says, “I need you to bring someone back from the dead.” 

For once, Deadpool is silenced. He had expected Tony to hire him as a mercenary, not a delivery boy. But the confusion and shock wears off quickly. “Hm, not how my powers work, Sweety. Y’see, I die and say “Hi” to Death- who’s totally taken by the way- and then come back to life. I can’t bring back anyone else-”

“Have you ever tried?” Tony sniped. 

“No reason to,” Wade replies easily. He’s beginning to get frustrated with the man in front of him. “But if you told me who you wanted me to bring back I might think about it,” He explains. “For a price of course.” 

It’s Tony who’s silent now; Wade notices a war going on inside Stark's head. He seems to be debating with himself on whether he should tell Wade the marks name or not. Finally, Tony sighs, resigned. Deadpool smiles. “I can’t let anyone else know he’s dead,” the man says seriously. 

“My lips are sealed.” 

Tony pauses briefly to take a breath. He shuts his eyes as Deadpool stares at him intently. “Spider-Man is dead, and I need you to bring him back.” 

“Spidey’s dead?” He asks incredulously. Suddenly, he’s standing. All of Wades nerves are on edge. The news felt like a blow to his spine. 

Tony clamps a metal hand around Wades mouth. The cold digits dig into his already sensitive skin. “Fucking shut up!” he whispers loudly. “Who the hell knows who’s listening in.” The man glaces around the apartment skeptically before pushing the scarred man forcefully away from him. “We can discuss this at the tower.” Looking up and down at the merc, Wade can feel the other man thinking critically of him. “Put on some clothes,” he says. “We’re heading there as soon as you’re dressed. 

If it weren’t for the sobering news, Wade would be jumping up and down like a little girl.  _ I’m going to “the tower” to fucking rescue spiderman. What the hell.  _ He walks into his room and changes quickly. His katanas are still bloody from his last randevu with a mark, but they’d have to do. 

When Wade enters the room again, Tony winces at him. He looks down at his outfit and notices that there is a striking resemblance to his and spidey’s costumes. He would apologize, but he doesn’t know how well Tony would receive it. Before Wade can say anything, however, Tony asks him if he’s ready to go. 

Wade nods to Stark and before he knows it he’s being lifted by the arms and into the air. Tony propels them both out of Wade’s apartment through his open balcony window. He struggles as all of Manhattan shines below him. He’s higher than the tallest skyscraper as they head North towards Avengers Tower. It’s a beautiful sight to be seen, and suddenly Wade gets the idea to go skydiving one day - without a parachute of course. He is soon interrupted from his thoughts as Tony places him on the landing pad of the tower. Touching down next to him, Tony quickly taps the triangle on his chest and the bleeding edge armor retracts. 

Deadpool looks out at the dazzling lights of the city. Aware that he has places to be, he turns back to where Stark began to walk off to. He sees Tony entering the building from a door to the left and follows him. Continuing to follow him, they end up in what looks like a laboratory; technical machines stand in stations surrounding tables and fridges or cabinets line the walls. 

Excited by the new surrounding, Wade can’t help himself from picking up a roundish tube-looking device from a nearby shelf. He studies it carefully before piecing it together that it must be own of Starks infamous electromagnets. As quickly as he picked it up, he set it back down. He skips over to a seat near Tony, unaware that he was sitting in the same seat Tony sat in earlier. “So, give me the deets!” He says in a singsong voice. “How’d spidey die? I bet it was heroic. Probably saved like, 50 people… and a cat from a fire or somethn’. Am I right?”

Constantly getting distracted, Wade spotts a picture on the ground. When he reaches down he is able to clearly see the young man that the picture is of. It looks like a classic graduation photo; nice suit and a clean background. The boy is admittedly cute. He has soft brown hair that looks untameable. His eyes are also brown, but they shimmer like gold. And his smile! Like warm butterscotch. Wade’s final analysis: this boy is really fucking attractive.

“That’s Peter. Peter Parker,” he says, hearing Wade’s wordless question. “He wa- is our best intern here, really fucking smart. Kind as well.”

“Don’t forget gorgeous.”

Tony ignores him. “He had so much on his plate. He was a full-time student and worked here when he wasn’t learning.” Wade doesn’t miss the switch from is into was. “On top of all that he had to hide the fact that he was Spider-Man.” Wades brain short-circuits. Him? Spider-Man? 

“You mean Peter is Spider-Man?” Wade asks. He looks back at the picture. He never had a run in with the spider but he has seen him plenty of times on the news. He can see the same lythe body in the photo that he saw on the TV sometimes. Wades eyes focus more on Peters face. His jaw was strong but he still maintained some baby fat. He looked adorable. But in his eyes Wade can see how tired he really was. The slight discoloration under his eyes shows Wade Peter had not slept in days prior to the photo. He looked drained. Wade didn’t blame him. Something churns in his gut that doesn’t sit well with him. Hurridley Wade asks “How’d he die?” 

Tony’s body stiffens. Every muscle in him is taught, like if he lets go then he might fall apart. “He-” Tony’s voice shakes. “He killed himself.”

Wades gut drops. It would be hypocritical is Deadpool said he was against suicide. He reckons he has killed himself over 100 times by now. But he rationalizes that he can’t die, so it doesn’t really matter. What Deadpool is against is pretty boys like Peter killing themselves, especially if they also happen to be the best superhero to ever exist. Unlike Wade, Peter has a lot to live for. He has gotta have family and friends, no doubt. Plus, he’s got fricken Tony Stark looking after him. Yeah, he’s gotta be good. “I’ll do it,” he says, standing. 

Tony looks back up to Wade’s masked face. “You’ll do it?”

Deadpool nods vigorously. “Yeah. Now shoot me and I’ll go get him.” Wade shoves one of his many guns into Stark’s hands. He looks down at it with disgust and hesitancy. 

He looks back up at Wade with a wild look in his eyes. “Wait,” he says suddenly. “I can’t just  _ kill  _ you.”

Wade laughs heartily. “What, is golden boy suddenly against killing?” Tony sneers.

“No. Trust me, I’ll have no problem killing you. It’s just… how do I know if it’s working? And how long do you need to be dead?” He asks this all in a rush, as if he’s flustered. Wade sighs and takes a second to really think before answering. 

“You’ve got the kid, right?” Tony nods. “Good. Put him somewhere you can keep an eye on him while you keep me down. I’m thinking if I can convince Lady Death she’ll just put him right back where he came from.” Starks eyes widen.

“He’ll just die again! His body’s still broken from when he… when he-” 

Wade cuts him off. “You’ll have to be there to start fixing him up. And the kids gotta have a healing factor, right?” The other man looks at him in disbelief.

“Barely! It takes days for him to recover from a sprained hand.”

The merc grunts. “It’ll have to do. Now get him set up.” Stark groans with dissatisfaction. He clearly detests the killers plan, but he’ll have to comply to the unfavorable conditions. Tony walks briskly to a cabinet on the wall. When he pulls out the long drawer Wade can see the body laying in it. Gingerly he picks up the broken body and lays it back down on a metal table. He keeps it in his direct line of sight. 

“Friday, tell me if anything changes,” Tony commands the AI.

The machine responds. “Certainly, Mr. Stark.” Tony looks back to Wade, signaling he’s ready. 

Wade grins and takes off his mask. “You should aim for the head,” he says. “It’ll keep me dead longer.” Tony nods his head and slips on one of his metal gloves. Wade can feel the faint rumble of the jets warming up in his chest. “And don’t stop until the kid wakes up.” Tony smiles.

“No problem.” The last thing Wade sees before darken is the blinding light of the jet. 

-//-

Deadpool has been to Hell many times before, meaning he and Death are quite close by now. Wade opens his eyes to the familiar surroundings of Death’s lair. It’s a cave-like chasm; stalactites and stalagmites point viciously into the air. Even though he  _ assumes _ he’s underground, it’s awfully hot and humid. The climate could be compared to that of a rainforest.  He sweats in his leather suit. 

Wade realizes he’s kneeling on a pile of bones so he stands, suddenly very conscious of his surroundings. “I see you’ve decorated the place,” he says with a hearty chuckle. Finally, he looks up to the throne in front of him. Sitting delicately is Death herself. Her white, chapped lips pulls itself into a coy smile. 

“Do you recognize those?” She motions to the bones he’s still standing on. Wade raises a hairless eyebrow. “You should,” she says. “You’re the one who sent me them. You know I value all your gifts, Wade.” Wade sneers. That means these belonged to rapists, murderers, and molesters. Suddenly, Wade didn’t feel too bad about standing on them. 

Wade smiles. In truth he likes Death. “I’m glad you like them,” he said. Death smiles back.

“So what can I do for you Wade?” she asks. Wade is almost certain she knows why he’s here. She knows everything. 

“I had a run in with golden boy himself.” Death nods knowingly and motions for him to continue. “That’s actually why I’m here. Y’see, you have something of Tony’s that he would very much like back.” Death chuckles. 

“Oh, I know. Quite a fine specimen I received the other day.” She sighs dreamily. “I have been watching Peter for a while, wondering when I’ll finally get my hands on him. I never expected him to fall into my lap so willingly. Quite a shame. I like it when they struggle.” She flashes a toothy grin and for a split second the facade disappears. In front of Wade is a yellowing skeleton with a dark energy surrounding it. As quickly as it comes, however, it recedes. 

Deadpool doesn’t blink. He’s used to seeing her true form. “What are the odds I can get him back?” He asks. 

“Hm, I like you, Deadpool. If it weren’t for Thanos I’d have my hands all over you. Let’s make a deal.” Wade knew it would come to this. She only does deals, never anything out of the kindness of her heart. 

“Go on.”

She stands from her throne and walks to where Wade is standing. Delicately, she traces patterns on his muscles. “I’ll let you have the boy. But you’ll owe me. Whatever I need you for, you will do. And you know what happens if you disobey me.” Wade isn’t scared. He knows whatever it is won’t be as bad as some things he’s already done.

“Deal,” he says. To seal it, Death leans in and kisses him; a delicate but possessive kiss that shows she owns him. As she kisses him, he feels a tugging sensation in his gut that he realizes means he’s about to wake up.  He’s pulled back into reality with a gasp.

-//-

Opening his eyes, Wade is greeted by the sight of the white ceiling of Stark’s lab. Through the roaring blood that rushes in his ears, he can hear the faint sounds of Tony opening and closing drawers. The sound of the other man's murmuring makes its way to Wades ears. He bolts up and looks around. If Tony notices the movement he doesn’t react. 

“Did it work?” Tony ignores him, but Wade assumes he’s just lost in thought. 

“I need someone else to help me-” He’s saying this quietly to himself. Next, he’s shouting. “Friday! Get Bruce up here!” The AI responds back immediately. Tony continues to shuffle around the boy. 

Wade begins to walk towards him, curious to see the boy he apparently saved. As he walks forward Tony gives him a side glance, but doesn’t stop him. Nearing the now breathing body he sees the bruises and bleeding. His arm looks painfully broken and his chest is concave. Raspy breaths make their way from the boys broken lips. Tony works diligently to quickly cover any open wounds and sew them if necessary. 

But both Wade and Tony soon realize that he doesn’t need the treatment. The cuts begin healing themselves quickly and soon it looks as though there was never a wound at all. His broken arm sickeningly pops itself back into place with a loud crunch. Wade winces, he knows what it’s like. Finally, Peters chest inflates to a normal shape, his ribs most likely rearranging.  

While this last act is happening, the elevator doors slide open, revealing a worried looking Bruce Banner. Bruce rushes to Tony, unaware of what is happening right next to him.

“Tony!” He seems frantic. “What’s wrong?” He looks worriedly into Tony’s eyes. That’s when he sees Wade. “Who’s this?” He looks Wade up and down. “A new super?”

“No, Bruce.” Tony grasps him by the shoulders. “He’s here to help us.” He whispers, “He did it, Bruce. He saved Pete.” Tears are forming in eyes and his voice cracks.

“What?” Bruce asks unbelievably. Tony quickly pushes him to the table where Peter lays. Bruce’s eyes go wide with shock. “Is he- is he actually alive?” Before Tony can answer Bruce is already grabbing for the boys wrist. As he checks his pulse, the blood drains from his face. He looks to Tony. “How did you do that? He was dead!” Tony chuckles wetly at the mans shock. 

“I’ll tell you later, big guy.” He looks back down at Peter. “But first I think we should get Pete to the sick bay. He’s had a rough time.” Wade feels an odd feeling in his stomach. He looks to the two scrawny men before him and realizes they won’t be able to carry him, not without the threat of dropping him. He quickly jumps at the opportunity.

“I’ll carry him,” he says. Both Tony and Bruce look at him, forgetting for a moment that he was still there. Bruce looks at Tony with a concerned expression plastering his face. Tony dismisses him. 

“Fine. But I swear if you hurt him I will find a way to end you,” Tony says seriously. “You can follow us.” Wade nods quickly and looks back to the boy on the table. In nothing but a hospital gown, he looks freezing. Carefully, Wade lifts him into his arms, cautious his head is supported and nothing is being squished between him and his body. As he carries Peter like a baby, he notices his skin is cold. As a result he holds him closer so that Pete can take some of his body heat.

When they get into the elevator, Pete sighs quietly enough so that just Wade can hear. Looking down to the bundle in his arms he sees Pete laid his head on Wades chest. Peter’s hair, although still matted with blood, looks soft as it covers his face. Wade notices a rose-tinted blush covering his freckled cheeks. A pang of something - protectiveness - rings through Wade’s body. He suddenly feels the sudden urge to lay this boy in a soft bed with silk sheets, or run him a nice, steamy bath. He wants to take care of him.

The feeling subsides as the elevator doors slide open. They step into an unmarked hallway and head down it. Finally, he reaches the room Bruce and Tony have been leading him to. Inside is quite simplistic. It looks like a high school nurse’s office if the high school could afford really nice medical equipment. They lead him to a door connected to the office. Inside isna common looking hospital room.

In the room is a twin-sized bed and the two other men indicate that’s where he should put Peter. So, as gently as he can, Wade lays Peter down on the not-so-soft cushions. Pushed away by the actually trained people, Wade can only watch as they hook Peter up to multiple machines. An IV is placed in Peter’s arm as well. Wilson hears something about a blood sample before Bruce takes out a butterfly needle and syringe. He quickly and carefully locates a vein on Peter’s arm before sticking the needle in and drawing blood.  

A part of Wade wants to tell the men to stay back while Peter is still healing, but they know better than he does. 

Bruce soon leaves to run some tests, leaving Tony and Wade alone.

“You can go now, Deadpool.” Tony says, eyes still on Peter’s face.

“I can’t leave until a payment is made, you know the deal.” Tony turns to look at him, blinking slowly. 

“Right,” he says. “I’ll give you however much you want. Just tell me the account and it’ll be there.” Wade tsks him.

“Sorry, Stark. I changed my mind. I don’t want money anymore, I crave something else.” A questioning look makes its way to Tony’s face. 

“What do you want,” he asks, hesitant. 

“Nothing terrible. I just want to hang around. Indefinitely.” The other man's breath catches. 

“You want to live in the tower?” Tony asks. Deadpool just shrugs.

“Sure, give me the guest room if you must. But I’m staying.” Deadpool makes a point by plopping down on the seat in the corner of the room. He puts his feet up on the table next to him. 

“Why would you want to live here?”

Deadpool thinks for a second. Why  _ does _ he want to stay? He guesses he really doesn’t have anything else to do.  _ And _ there’s a really cute boy here who he strangely already feels an intimate connection with. He should feel worried, but he doesn’t. All he knows is that he just wants to stay.

Wade gives him a smirk. “For the hell of it.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

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